Device for cleaning, lubricating, and sealing barrels of guns



y 1951 w. F. SCHNITGER DEVICE FOR CLEANING, LUBRICATING, AND SEALINGBARRELS OF GUNS Filed Aug 5, 1947 u n n h WWWWW I Patented July 3, 1951DEVICE FOR CLEANING, LUBRICATIN G, AND SEALING BARRELS OF GUNS WilbertF. Schnitger, Waukesha, Wis., assignor of one-half to Earl E. Southall,Milwaukee, Wis.

Application August 5, 1947, Serial No. 766,251

1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in de vices for cleaning,lubricating and sealing barrels of guns.

In the use of fire arms, it is important after use to keep the bore ofthe gun barrel clean and well lubricated. It is also desirable to havemeans which will prevent the entrance of moisture or humid air into thebore while the gun is in storage or not in use so that rust will notoccur.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide a single,relatively simple instrumentality, which can be inserted into the barrelof the gun when the gun is not in use to perform all three importantfunctions of cleaning, lubricating and sealing.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device as abovedescribed, including a cleaning brush and one or more lubricating andsealing rolls wherein any of said members may be easily and quicklyrenewed after they have become worn.

A further object of the invention is to provide a devicefor cleaning,lubricating and sealing the barrels of guns wherein there is meansprojecting from one end of the gun bore, when the device is in use, forfacilitating withdrawal of the device when required, the said meansbeing quickly detachable so that the stock of the gun ma be reassembledwith the barrel if desired, leaving the cleaning and sealing device inposition.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a device of the classdescribed which can be used either with barrels having tapered bores 01'with barrels having straight bores; to provide a device which, when inplace, prevents the insertion of shells and therefore acts as a safetywhen the gun is being transported or stored; and to provide a devicewhich is relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of theimproved device for cleaning, sealing, and lubricating the barrels ofguns, and all its parts and combinations, as set forth in the claim, andall equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawing, illustrating one complete embodiment of thepreferred form of the invention, in which the same reference numeralsdesignate the same parts in all of the views:

Fig. 1 is a side view showing the device in sealing position in thebarrel of a gun, the barrel being illustrated in longitudinal section;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale at the outer end ofthe device, parts being 2 broken awa and shown in longitudinal section;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of the inner end of the device, parts beingbroken away and shown in longitudinal section;

Fig. 4 is a side view of one of the brush holding studs;

Fig, 5 is a side view of the other brush holding stud; and

Fig. 6 is an outer end view of the improved device.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the gun barrel is indicatedby the number Ill. The barrel illustrated has a bore II, which istapered slightly in an outward direction. It is to be understood,however, that the invention is equally applicable for use in connectionwith guns having straight bores.

The improved device with which the present invention is concernedincludes a straight metal rod I2 having its outer end threaded as at I3,and also having its inner end threaded as at l4.

The rod is inserted through the longitudinal bores I5, I6 and ll ofrolls I8, I9 and 23. These rolls may beformed of felt or any materialcapable of being impregnated with a lubricant and having the flexibilityand cushioning characteristics necessary for the purpose. While thedevice will perform its function with only one roll on the rod I 2located in the position of the roll it, nevertheless the, efficiency isimproved materially by utilizing more than one roll such as the threerolls illustrated.

The roll I8 is removabl retained in position by means of end washers 2|and 22 which are in turn held by cotter pins 23 and 24 extending throughcotter pin holes in the rod I2.

The r011 I 9 is similarly removably held in position by means of endwashers 25 and 26 and cotter pins 21 and 28. Roll 23 is restrainedagainst longitudinal movement in one direction by washer 29 and cotterpin 3|], and against movement in the other direction by a washer 3| heldin place by a connection member 32, which is screwed onto the threadedend I 3 of the rod.

At the inner end of the device there is a cap nut 33 threaded on the endI 4 of the rod I2. The nut has a transverse bore 34 within which afinger ring 35 is inserted.

The connection member 32 has its outer end formed with a threaded bore35 for receiving the threaded stem 37 of a brush holding stud 38. Thelatter has its outer end inwardly slotted as at 39 to receive thelo'oped end 40 of the wire core M of brush 42. The looped end 40 may befrictionally squeezed in position in the slot 39. The

3 other end of the brush is formed with a loop 43 which is similarlyheld in a slot 44 of a brush holding stud 45. The stud 45 has its outerend of reduced diameter to form an intermediate shoulder 46. A washer 41may be placed on the outer end of the stud 45, and then the outer end ofthe stud may be inserted into the bore portion 48 of a relatively shortsealing roll 49. The roll 49 is formed of material similar to the rollsl8, I9 and 20. The bore portion 48 terminates at a point intermediatethe length of the roll 49 and joins a smaller bore 50. A screw 52inserted from the outer end through the bore 50 is threaded into athreaded bore portion 5| at the outer end of the stud 45 to removablyhold the parts 49 in position. The roll 49 is also impregnated with alubricant.

After a gun has been used it is broken open to expose the inner end 53of the bore. The improved device is then inserted into said end to theposition illustrated in Fig. 1. The rolls I8, I9, 20 and 49 and thebrush 42 have an external diameter which is slightly larger than thebore of the gun with which they are to be used. There is suflicientflexibility in the members, however, to permit manipulation Whileproviding for a snug fit into either a tapered bore or a straight bore.1

As the device is being inserted, the various portions of the bore willbe lubricated by the rolls 49, 20, I9 and I8, and the brush 42 willperform a cleaning operation. When the gun is to be put away in storage,the device is left in the position shown in Fig. 1, with the outer endof the roll 49 flush with the outer end of the barrel; thus entry ofmoisture into said end is prevented. In addition, the device is of suchlength that when the roll 49 is located as in Fig. 1, the roll I8 islocated close to the inner end of the barrel to prevent the entrance ofmoist air into any part of said end where it could do harm. The devicemay be manipulated by using the finger ring 35. However, if it isdesired to reassemble the gun with the sealing device in position, thenthe ring may be unthreaded from the rod end l4. When this has beenperformed, there is nothing projectin beyond the inner end of the boreto prevent reassembling the stock on the barrel. While the gun is thusstored, the use of the sealing device is insurance against the presenceof a shell in the barrel. Thus the gun cannot he accidentallydischarged.

The brush 42 can be quickly replaced when required by unthreading thestud 38 and screw 52 and replacing with a new brush equipped with 4 newstuds 38 and 45, or a new brush may be inserted in the slots 39 and 44of the old studs. In addition the construction is such as to permitquick removal and replacement of any of the rolls l8, I9, 20 and 49.

Various changes and modifications may be made without departing from thespirit of the invention, and all of such changes are contemplated as maycome within the scope of the claim.

What I claim as the invention is:

In a device for cleaning and oiling guns, a cylindrical brush having afirst wire loop at one end and a second wire loop at the opposite end; afirst stud projecting axially of said brush and formed at one end with adiametric slot in which said first loop is removably positioned andbeing formed at its other end with external screw threads; 2. secondstud projecting axially of said brush and formed at one end with adiametric slot in which said second loop is removably positioned andbeing formed at its other end with a portion of reduced diameter, saidreduced portion being formed in its outer end with a threaded axiallyextending aperture; an axially bored cylindrical roll of relatively softcompressible material positioned on the reduced portion of said secondstud; and a screw extending through the bore of said roll and having aportion removably positioned in the threaded aperture of the second studfor holding said roll in position on said stud.

WILBERT F. SCHNITGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

